A Million Raindrops
by sevenohfive
Summary: Nick committed the crime and Miley watched him. They both face the fear of what could happen if anyone were to find out. What happens when the murder of a man is under investigation? Will they go down together... or will one go down alone? Rated M
1. Preface

**A/n: I'm BAAAAACK! **

**This story is a bit darker… got the idea from a plot on my fave show… The story is in both POVs :D**

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><p><em>Now I see the flashing lights<em>_  
><em>_There goes my future and my life__  
><em>_Now I've gotta do what's right_

Jonas Brothers; Don't Charge Me for the Crime

**A Million Raindrops **

**Preface**

**Nick POV**

When I was younger I dreamed of being a major league baseball player. You know… going pro? Living the dream. I never pictured my life the way it's headed.

You know when people would ask, "What do you wanna be when you grow up?" I would say a pro ball player. Not a criminal.

Or the question, "Where do you find yourself five years from now?" That would get an answer along the lines of, "Livin' large, lots of money… hopefully in a nice house." Never, "Behind bars."

So what can I do to keep that from happening?

The guilt is there. It's under my skin. I can feel it. I can see it. Taste it. I fucking live in it for God's sake. It's ripping at my skin, trying to make its way out and everyday it gets stronger. More powerful. It built up and now it's there. It's at the surface, waiting for me to get rid of it.

My conscious got the better of me. I'm done. I'll ruin my future. Possibly ruin _her_ future. Though I'd try my best to keep her out of it.

But I can't keep it in anymore. I can't _not_ talk about it. It's eating away at my flesh and has become a secret that I'm no longer capable of holding.

The ongoing internal battle has ended. I've made my decision. Now it's up to my legs to actually remove myself from the car as I stare at the threatening police station before my eyes.

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><p><strong>An: Sound interesting to you? Or should I scrap it?**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/n: I'm glad you all want me to run with this idea :D**

**We're gonna start with a bang, because I hate boring beginnings. xD So stick with me for the beginning of the chapter. Don't worry, Niley comes soon.**

**WARNING: This story contains a sensitive topic, hence why I made it fall under Hurt/Comfort and not Romance.**

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><p><em>Step out the door and it feels like rain<em>_  
><em>_That's the sound (that's the sound) on your window pane__  
><em>_Take to the streets but you can't ignore__  
><em>_That's the sound (that's the sound) you're waiting for__  
><em>_If ever your world starts crashing down__  
><em>_Whenever your world starts crashing down__  
><em>_Whenever your world starts crashing down__  
><em>_That's where you'll find me_

OneRepublic; All Fall Down

**A Million Raindrops**

**Chapter 1**

**Miley POV**

Sometimes I wonder why I'm in a relationship. I mean, what's the point in having a boyfriend if you don't do anything with him? We never go out. We never hang out. He's always too "busy" with sports and college. He probably lies about half the things he's too busy with. It's clear he likes spending time with his friends and partying more than me. And it most certainly doesn't help that he's in college and I'm still in high school. But you know what, that's fine. Perfectly fine. I'm okay with that. Besides, I don't want to be one of those suffocating girlfriends. I'll give him space and whatever.

But it's not fun sitting around on a Friday night waiting for him to call.

_Wow, speak of the devil._

I smile as I see his name light up on my phone. "Hey, Liam."

"Hey, babe! So I was thinking maybe we could catch a bite to eat tonight? I feel like we haven't hung out in ages," his voice came through the speaker slightly muffled, but I smile at the offer.

"Of course. It sucks you graduated… I miss you like crazy and you're always so busy," I state and he's silent on the other end for a moment.

"Yeah, well with soccer and studying and all, it gets crazy over here." Lie.

_Don't forget the partying, dear._

"Right. Well you're lucky my friends have lives and I don't. I'd love to go out to dinner tonight," I slightly laugh at my attempt to make him feel guilty about neglecting me, but who am I kidding? Liam doesn't feel guilty about anything and probably never will.

"Sweet. Okay, so I'll meet you at Fire & Ice for seven?" He asks and I kind of hesitate before saying okay.

"Uhm, meet me? Why don't you just pick me up and we can ride together?" I was kind of sad that he wanted to make it so… casual.

"Well I have some stuff to do ahead of time and I don't wanna eat too late. It will just save time if we meet." _Excuses, excuses._

"Okay then. Sounds good. See you at seven," I say. And I can't help but be curious as to why he had to make an excuse to meet me there. Couldn't we just eat a little later? But I'm going to ignore it and just go along with whatever he says, because that's what I always do.

_Which is quite sad._

"Love you." His voice has a weird tone to it and it makes me second guess his words.

"You too, bye." I hang up and toss my phone on my bed, collapsing next to it.

_Why did I have to like him so much?_

I mean, I love him, but…sometimes he just, he has a way of controlling me. Not in a bad way, but I just feel like he has too much power over me. I don't speak up enough. But even if I did speak up he would just guilt trip me.

I sigh heavily and roll on my stomach, grabbing my phone again. It was five-thirty on a Friday night and while all my friends were getting ready for a party, I was getting ready for a casual date with my boyfriend of two years.

_Maybe he is getting sick of me…_

Well if that's the case then he can tell me! He can be a man and break up with me now instead of letting it drag on.

_Ugh. Boys…_

I reluctantly get up before hopping in the shower. Tonight I was going to remind him why we were together and that I'm just one year younger than those college girls he goes to school with. I can be grown up. I can be sophisticated. I can be whatever he wants me to be.

_No, no, Miley. Don't do that. Don't change for him._

My conscience gets the better of me and I throw the sexy outfit I was planning on wearing in the corner of my room and pull out my usual hip huggers and button-down shirt. I blow dry my hair and do my same old boring makeup, letting the thought of trying to be someone I'm not leave my mind completely.

_Miley Cyrus changes for no one._

Well that's what I told myself, anyway.

By the time I finish with my hair it's six-thirty. I should probably get going; I don't want to keep him waiting. I slip on my converse and a plain, grey hoodie, throwing my hood up immediately as I step out of my house.

_Rain. Perfect, _I think to myself sarcastically as I book it to my car as fast as I can. I grab my phone from my purse and call Liam once just to let him know that I'm on my way. After five rings it goes to voicemail.

"Hey this is Liam, obviously I'm not here or I would have answered the phone. Or maybe I just don't wanna talk to you, but leave a message anyway and I might call you back." I tried to get him to change the recording once because it pisses me off, but I lost that argument, clearly.

I'm not leaving him a stinkin' message. So I text him instead, before backing out of my driveway and heading to the restaurant.

I arrive a little early and see that the usually crowded hang out spot is nearly empty. Everyone must be at the party. The party I didn't feel like going to because I was waiting for my boyfriend to call. Thank God he did or I probably would have spent the night rearranging my bookshelf in alphabetical order or something like that.

_How lonely that would have been…_

I sit down at a table near the center of the place and put my purse on the table and wait for Liam. I make myself look busy by pulling out my phone and looking at pictures I don't care to see or reread text messages that are unimportant. The place is pretty empty except for the man sitting down at a table one away from mine and the employee behind the counter, cleaning up and such.

The man at the table, I assume is drinking a soda. He seems to be getting ready to leave while the guy behind the counter is familiar to me. He's in my English class and his name is Nick Jonas. We've talked once or twice, but never really interacted outside of class.

Fifteen minutes go by and it's 7:10. I'm tempted to call Liam, but he's probably on his way. I don't want to feel clingy.

I sigh heavily as I watch the time pass and my phone remains silent. 7:20 and I'm still sitting, waiting. I start to get aggravated and call Liam. It goes straight to voice mail, but I pretend it doesn't bother me and I place my phone in my purse.

"The weather's pretty bad out there, huh?" I look up to see the strange man looking at me, waiting for an answer. I slightly nod and give a friendly smile, then look around and tab my hand against the table impatiently.

"Hey Miley, can I get you something?" Nick asks as he walks by and starts wiping down tables. I smile at him and shake my head.

"Nah, I'm just waiting for someone," I explain and he nods and gets back to work.

7:40 and nothing. The bastard stood me up. I pull my lips between my teeth and roll my eyes to keep the tears back. I look around the place and the man is still sitting there.

_Kind of creepy._

I was going to get something quick to eat before I leave because I'm starving. Sitting and doing nothing for fifty minutes sure does make you hungry. But Nick is in the back and I don't want to bother him so I refrain and wait another five minutes just in case he came back.

_Or Liam might show up._

"I don't think he's coming," the stranger says and I purse my lips angrily.

"Yeah, me neither," I say bitterly and bite my tongue from going off on the man, ranting and venting about my so-called boyfriend. Instead I grab my purse and get up to leave.

"Hey, drive safe out there, it's pouring," he says and I smile as I put my sweatshirt back on.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." I make my way to the door and throw my hood over my head as the rain seems to be coming down violently and push the door open.

I'm halfway to my car when I hear something along the lines of, "You forgot your phone!" I could've sworn I put it in my purse, but it's possible I left it on the table. I turn around and the man from the restaurant sticks his hand out as if to hand me something, but it's hard to see because it's dark and rainy. When I reach for what I thought was my phone in his hand he pulls me towards him and I suddenly feel a whack across my face.

I turn quickly and screech as I realize what's happening, but he grabs a hold of me and I'm fighting to escape. Kicking my legs and moving my arms in every direction isn't working and I start to panic and scream more. I feel his hand cover my mouth so I bite it hard and he pulls it away, lifting me off the ground and forcing me to his truck.

_I can't think._

_I can't breathe. _

_I can't find my voice._

I grab onto the bed railing of the truck, but my fingers are pried away from it as he keeps pulling me and the rain water causes my hands to slip. I elbow him in the gut, but it seems to do nothing and I try to pull myself from his grasp, but I can't.

_He's too strong._

_And I'm too weak._

I start to hyperventilate as the door opens and he throws me inside the truck. I reach for the handle on the door closest to where my hand lands, but he grabs my arm and pins it down by my side. I'm kicking and screaming but it's not helping because there's no one around.

_No one can hear me._

"Get.. off!" I struggle and he mutters words of profanity and tells me to stop screeching.

He hovers over me violently and I start to freak as I feel his hands on my body in places where I feel threatened. My heart is beating rapidly and I feel like I'm going to throw up. I find the strength in my arm to lift it and push his head back and I knee him in the groin as hard as I can. He grunts and bends over so I use my other hand to bang his head into the steering wheel which causes a loud honk that seems to dissolve into my screams.

I ram my elbow into his eye and he screams in pain, giving me the opportunity to escape as his hand moves to his eye. The door falls open and I crawl out uneasily, slamming it shut behind me, but it hits his arm as he tried to grab me by the hood. I ram it against his arm once more.

_Twice more._

_Three times more._

I hear him scream an agony and a huge sob is released from my chest and I can't see a thing, but I run in the opposite direction I came from, crying out and clutching my stomach.

I see my purse on the pavement and bend over to pick it up, trying to wipe my face free of tears but the rain blends them together. I'm breathing heavily and my cries are audible. I can hear a loud truck driving away quickly and I can't even bring myself to turn to see him drive away.

"Miley!" I look up through the blur of my tears and see Nick running towards me. "What are you doing? Are you okay?" He's closer to me now and I take in a shaky breath as I choke out the words.

"He tried… to rape… me," I cry out and the tears run freely as I fall into Nick's arms. His body is warm and welcoming and I let my emotions run because he wasn't trying to hurt me. He held onto me tight and protectively and I just let myself go.

_I thought I was going to die. _

_I thought that man was going to rape me and then kill me._

_I feared for my life._

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><p><strong>Nick POV<strong>

I've had a crush on Miley Cyrus since freshman year. We're in the start of our senior year now and she's suddenly crying into my chest as it downpours around us and I try to get her back inside.  
>I've only ever talked to her about five times in the three, almost four years that I've known her, and when I saw her come into my work alone and...beautiful, I knew it was time for me to make my move.<p>

I mean, I heard she was still with that Liam guy, well that's what Facebook said, but it's only a matter of time before she finds out the jerk face cheated on her with some college girl.  
>It was a slow night because there was a huge party at the star quarterback's house, so I was surprised to see her walk in, and by herself. But I watched as she took a seat at a table and waited patiently. She didn't order anything, but I didn't want to bother her about it.<p>

About ten minutes went by and she was still sitting at that table alone. There was only one other guy in the restaurant and I kept seeing him staring at Miley in a sufficiently creepy way. He made a comment to her about the weather and she looked highly uninterested in his small talk and slightly uncomfortable, so I decided to help her out of that conversation.

"Hey Miley, can I get you something?" I ask as I go around her to wipe the surrounding tables down.

"Nah, I'm just waiting for someone," she said and I nod and continue with my work. Whoever she was waiting for, he wasn't gonna show. I assume it's her jackass boyfriend. I hate that guy.

One time last year in the locker room I heard him running his mouth about how much ass he was gonna get in college. I never liked him, but I knew him well because my dad works for his dad and you hear a lot at company barbecues when he thinks no one is listening.

With her he has the best of both worlds. He gets a commitment with a sweet, nice, beautiful girl, but he also gets one night stands with sexy, more experienced girls who have probably never heard the word no, or said it themselves.

I watched as Miley sat there for nearly an hour, trying to call her boyfriend and text him, but from what I saw she was having no luck in reaching him.

_What a dick wad._

I went in back to wash down the grill because from the looks of it there wouldn't be any more customers for the night and I could close early and just go home and sleep. I've been taking extra hours lately to get some extra money and it seems all I have time to do is work and go to school because when I should be sleeping I'm up late doing homework.

_What a fun senior year..._

For some reason as I'm cleaning up the kitchen it seems too quiet. It felt like I was the only one in the restaurant, thought I didn't think I heard anyone leave…

I suddenly hear what sounded like a faint scream and then a honking of a car. I race to the dining area and see Miley and that man are gone. It's dark outside as I redirect my eyes to the window and I can't really see what's going on but something's not right.

I walk slowly to the window and see a figure running frantically. My heart skips a beat before sinking when I make out that figure to be Miley. My feet react quicker than my brain and I'm suddenly in the middle of the parking lot as the rain is crashing down heavily, hitting me in every direction.

_I hate sideways rain._

"Miley!" I shout as she picks up her purse and she looks up at me with tears just falling uncontrollably down her face. "What are you doing? Are you okay?" I ask urgently, slightly confused by the situation, as I walk closer to her and she collapses into my arms and tries to speak.

"He tried...to rape...me," the words fall from her mouth in a violent sob and my whole body goes numb as she holds onto me tightly.

"What? Who?" I ask breathlessly, but I knew she couldn't hear me through her cries. I didn't know how to react and so I just held her as tight as she would allow me and tried to make her feel safe again.

The rain slows down and her grasp on my shirt starts to loosen up as she calms down as well. I can't even begin to describe the look on her face as she pulls away from me and I lead her back inside. She just looks so petrified… so _terrified_.

I open the door for her and follow closely behind as she walks in and I lock the door behind me and turn the 'OPEN' sign over to say 'CLOSED'. She sits down at a table and stares straight ahead, not saying anything.

I didn't really know what to say either, so I take a seat across from her and look at her worriedly. I mean, what do you do when someone gets assaulted and nearly…_raped_? _What do you say? _Well I had nothing to say. I felt like whatever would come out of my mouth would only make it worse.

Miley sat, unmoving, her hands fidgeting every few seconds and when I looked her in the eye she just looked like she was going to break down any minute all over again. I've never seen anyone in this condition before and it scared me. I had no idea if she was going to be alright not only physically but emotionally and I gritted my teeth as anger pulsed through me at the thought of how this could have been stopped.

Well for one, her _boyfriend_ could stop fucking around with other girls and be there for her for once.

And two… I could have been there.

_No, Nick, don't do that. Don't blame yourself. _

But maybe if I hadn't gone back in the kitchen, that pathetic excuse for a man wouldn't have followed her out and… _I can't even think…about what could have happened._

Our eyes meet and I hate how traumatized her eyes look as they glance into mine. I wish I could say something, but I feel like I'd only make it worse. So I scoot out of my chair and pull one up next to her to sit in. I figure the only think I can do is try to comfort her so I take her open hand on the table into mine and squeeze it gently. Miley looks at me and her bottom lip quivers before she breaks into tears again. I wrap my arm around her and she rests her head on my shoulder and I feel bad for feeling so… good.

I mean, not good, but… I _like_ having her near me. I like the way her hair smells and the softness of her touch.

_Shit, stop. _

"You're alright, Miley…" I say softly and rub her shoulder gently. "You're gonna be alright."I swallowed hard and bit my tongue as she clutched onto my shirt again.

_I don't know what to do._

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><p><strong>Q: Have you ever tried to helpcomfort someone but were simply at a loss of what to say/do?**

**A/n: Oh gosh, was it horrid?**

**Please give me feedback. **

**How do you like the characters so far?**

**Am I shaping them okay?**

**I'm really nervous of what you guys think of this!**


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